


Eden

by xavier87



Series: That's Why You're You [3]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternative Season 5, Clarke-Lexa-Madi family, Clexa, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Happy Ending, More Serious Than It Sounds, No eligius, Panther Lexa, Smut, mind space, one true love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:00:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27098479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xavier87/pseuds/xavier87
Summary: The panther didn’t seem to have noticed it at first, but when the blonde let a cry out and stared at the blue hexagon, it moved its head closer, sniffing the strange object.“Don’t you dare!” Clarke shouted at the panther [...] The animal growled at her in a challenge and shook its body, dislodging the weapon, before swallowing the implant, its long pink tongue wrapping around it.The cry that tore Clarke’s throat echoed around the forest, so powerful and raw that it surprised the predator. With one last look at the girl, it turned around and took off among the trees.“NOOOO! Come back! Lexa!” the blonde screamed, falling on her knees, the tears blurring her sight. But it was too late, the panther was gone, having disappeared into the forest, taking with it all that was left of the green-eyed brunette that had stolen her heart.
Relationships: Clarke Griffin/Lexa
Series: That's Why You're You [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1856350
Comments: 6
Kudos: 96





	Eden

Dawn was breaking over the canopy, the pink and light blue hue barely visible between the large trees. Clarke pushed her mount to gallop faster, in fear that her absence would be noticed soon. In the midst of Azgeda and King Roan taking over Polis, and ALIE’s former victims wreaking havoc on everything resembling technology, she had thought it prudent to return to Arkadia. Who knew how long they had before the members of the Kongeda turned their rage towards Skaikru? Riding a horse in the dark was a venture in itself, and the blonde was grateful to Lexa for insisting on teaching her to ride during her time in Polis. Lexa.

One of Clarke’s hand rose to touch the small metallic box hidden in her jacket’s outer pocket before she realized it. Between the situation with Pike, the City of Light craziness, and the knowledge that the Earth would basically be inhabitable in six months, the former ambassador hadn’t had the time to begin to mourn her lover. Truth be told, she still couldn’t process how the earth could continue to spin even though the beautiful, wise Commander was gone. Seeing Lexa in the City of Light and being able to express her feelings had alleviated some of her pain for a short while, but now that the coalition the brunette had fought so hard to create was on the verge of collapsing, Clarke was lost. And angry. So angry. At Titus for pulling the trigger and killing the woman who he had sworn to protect. At all the warriors and ambassadors who had pushed for war when all Lexa wanted for them was peace. At herself, for challenging the brunette, arguing with her, keeping her at bay when she should have wrapped herself in the strong muscular arms instead, and for encouraging her down a path that had eventually led to her demise. And at Lexa too, which was the most painful part. For listening to the blonde, for changing the world too fast, for trusting her bald advisor, for walking in and taking the bullet that had been meant for Clarke, for leaving her alone in this crazy world.

The rider ground her teeth and wiped the tear that had rolled down her cheek. Now was not the time to crumble, not when she was barely seeing where the horse was going or when enemies could already be chasing her. She would have to avoid the ruins of TonDC, and that brought her deeper into the forest than she would have liked.

Her horse was walking, resting from the long gallop she had put it through. Clarke estimated that it was around 8 AM, and she still had a long way to go before she could hide behind Arkadia’s high walls. For the first time since Mount Weather, she was looking forward to seeing the metallic structure and the relative safety it offered. Lost in thoughts, the blonde didn’t notice immediately that her mount was growing nervous, huffing, its head shaking left and right as if looking for danger. When a yowl made itself hear from behind a bush, the mare reared, throwing the beginner rider down, before taking off with a whinny. Clarke landed heavily on her back, the shock kicking the air out of her lungs and leaving her dazed for a few seconds.

Groaning with pain, the blonde rolled to the side, barely escaping the pouncing animal that stood where her body had been a moment before. Crouching, she stared at it, her hand discreetly looking for the only weapon she had, a knife. Lexa’s knife. The one she had been playing with the first time they met, when a younger, less haunted Clarke had nearly swallowed her tongue at the sight of the Commander. With the Flame, it was the only object she had taken in her haste, seething at the thought of a different Nightblood wielding another part of Lexa. She had been forced to abandon the red cape and the gear to the Flamekeeper after Lexa’s death, hoping back then that Aden would wear them with pride, but the knife was hers now. Praying that her lover’s spirit would lend her some of its strength, Clarke tightened her hold against the guard and lifted the weapon in what she hoped was a threatening display.

The panther facing her was majestic, there was no other word for it. Despite the current danger, the artist found herself in awe of the creature. It was black as coal from the tip of its tail to its nose and large paws, its yellowish eyes staring at her without an ounce of mercy. Much bigger than the one she had killed during her self-imposed exile, its shoulders reached Clarke’s sternum, and its jaw seemed large enough to tear out her entire throat if it could get close. It licked its chops, probably in anticipation of the tasty meal the young woman would make.

Refusing to die there and then, away from everyone she loved, the blonde tightened her jaw and tautened her muscles. She had survived the journey through the atmosphere, Anya and her men, the Pauna, Mount Weather twice, three months of solitude in the wild, and the loss of the woman she loved, again, twice. She wasn’t ready to give up, not yet. Not when her people had no idea of the danger they were in. Not when there was still a chance to save the coalition. Not when no one else knew that the threat of another Praimfaya was looming. Not when all that remained of her lover would be lost forever in the woods if she didn’t fight back.

Clarke subconsciously moved her hand to her pocket once more, a gesture of reassurance, and her breath caught in her throat. In the scuffle, the box had fallen from her jacket, landing not far from where the animal was now standing. To add insult to injury, with the shock, it had opened on its own, leaving the Flame unprotected on the cruel mossy ground. The panther didn’t seem to have noticed it at first, but when the blonde let a cry out and stared at the blue hexagon, it moved its head closer, sniffing the strange object.

“Don’t you dare!” Clarke shouted at the panther, throwing the knife out of reflex. It embedded itself in the animal’s right shoulder, not deep enough to cause much damage, but still, it would leave a scar. The animal growled at her in a challenge and shook its body, dislodging the weapon, before swallowing the implant, its long pink tongue wrapping around it.

The cry that tore Clarke’s throat echoed around the forest, so powerful and raw that it surprised the predator. With one last look at the girl, it turned around and took off among the trees.

“NOOOO! Come back! Lexa!” the blonde screamed, falling on her knees, the tears blurring her sight. But it was too late, the panther was gone, having disappeared into the forest, taking with it all that was left of the green-eyed brunette that had stolen her heart.

*****

Praimfaya had hit 42 days before, and Clarke was exhausted. After waking up in Becca’s lab, most of her burns already healed thanks to the Nightblood serum. She had remained there for weeks, only daring to leave once she had gone through most of the food. The sight that greeted her upon her exit nearly broke her. The Earth was devastated, the ground torched by the wall of fire that had mercilessly swept across the land, not a single leaf remained on the ghost-looking trees. The only blessing was that where there had been a sea full of dangerous creatures before, Clarke now found a desert, much easier to cross.

She could barely believe her luck when she stumbled upon the solar-panel powered Rover, pretty much intact, meaning that she wouldn’t have to walk all the way back to Polis. The blonde knew that the bunker possessed a decontamination chamber and suits, and once she had gone through the various security protocols to make sure the people inside didn’t get infected, she would be able to hug her mother, Marcus, Octavia, all those who were now stuck underground for the next five years. She would miss Raven and the others, but at least they had made it out alive when thousands of Grounders had died.

After crossing the desert, Clarke felt tears roll down her cheeks at the state of the former capital. Gone were the hundreds of houses, the markets filled with laughter and colorful trinkets, the arena that had seen the end of the Ice Queen. Worse, the Commander’s tower, Lexa’s tower, was now in shambles. The blonde had to take a minute to get her breathing under control, memories of her time there with her lover overwhelming her. Would she really have to lose every single one of her connections to Lexa? Seeing her die in her arms was not punishment enough for all the lives she had taken, she hadn’t gotten a break until the Coalition, the Flame, and now Lexa’s home were gone. The only thing she had left of their story was the knife sheathed in her belt, and she squeezed the guard, a habit since the night with the panther.

Careful where she was stepping, the former ambassador approached the ruins of the gigantic edifice, in search of the temple that had hidden the bunker’s entrance. Sadly, after walking around for over an hour, Clarke had to accept the truth, the door was now buried under tons of rubble, and five years wouldn’t be enough time for her to remove them by herself. She let out some of her rage and despair by hitting at the metal poles and parts of the building before jumping out, barely avoiding the heavy stones that threatened to bury her alive.

Following the bitter disappointment of Polis, her visit to Arkadia was as painful, for different reasons. The cold, metallic structure had not felt much like home in the midst of the war with Mount Weather and after Lexa’s death and the whole City of Light craziness, and now it stood even creepier than before, most of it destroyed by Praimfaya. She hadn’t expected much of it anyway, but the overwhelming presence of the ghosts it conjured was enough to make her turn around and flee. She tried to let her friends on the Ark know she was still alive, doubting her crappy radio would be able to reach them, and yet talking to someone, out loud, was the only thing helping her keep it together. The rain used to irk her before, but now it allowed her to survive, to get the water she desperately needed in her body.

She drove and drove, with no specific destination in mind, the loneliness and fear of spending the following five years without any human contact eroding her sanity. After a couple of days, she found herself trapped by a sandstorm. The radiation had turned some of the sand into glass-like shards, tearing at her skin and clothes when she tried to detach the solar panels to hide them in the vehicle. By the time it was over, most panels were ruined and her car was useless. She felt like crying, again. It was becoming a common occurrence, and the blonde pretended not to hear Lexa’s voice in her head, telling her that she had to be strong, that her heart showed no sign of weakness. If she could see her now, she doubted the proud warrior would utter the same statement.

Yet, Clarke refused to give up. She grabbed her bag, the map, the little food she had left, and continued on foot, decided to return to the lab where, if nothing else, she could shower and sleep in a bed. The walk in the desert lasted for what felt like weeks, her water reserves getting lower and lower until she had none left, the heat making her see things that weren’t there. Eventually, the blonde collapsed, exhausted. If not for a scary-looking bird that began pulling at her clothes, she would have died there, dried out under the merciless sun. Gathering what remained of her strength, Clarke got on her feet and attempted to follow the scavenger, hoping it would lead her to where it lived. All she found at the top of the hill was more desolation, though, and when she lost her footing and rolled all the way down the sandy slope, she gave up.

“I’m done,” she cried, on her knees, “do you hear me? I’ve lost everything. I lost my friends, my father, my mother—” She couldn’t even pronounce the name of her former lover. “I’ve got nothing left.”

After wiping the snot and tears on her face with her sleeve, the holster on her left thigh caught her attention. She slowly pulled the knife out, pointing the blade towards her own heart. In her mind, there was no doubt that she deserved it. After everything, Finn, the children in Mount Weather, Lexa, all the people from Arkadia who hadn’t made it onto her list... She truly was the Commander of Death. And yet, her hand wouldn’t stop trembling, making it impossible to drive the knife into her skin. What would Lexa think, seeing her use her beloved weapon to kill herself? Would Finn forgive her for giving herself the same mercy she had bestowed on him? The tears swarm in her eyes, the last drops of water she still had in her, blurring her sight. It was probably why she hadn’t noticed the carnivore that crept on her side until it was too close, its whine catching her by surprise. The panther.

Clarke jerked to the side, accidentally dropping the knife. She instantaneously recognized the animal that had attacked her all those weeks before, stealing the Flame and what had remained of her heart. It was as black and tall as before, the radiation didn’t seem to have affected it, apart from its eyes that were now a deep forest green instead of the yellow hue that had scared her. Clarke even noticed the small scar on its shoulder, where she had thrown her knife in a pitiful attempt to protect the AI containing Lexa’s spirit. And now, it was back, and she didn’t have the strength, nor the will to defend herself.

Instead, she remained slumped on her knees, her arms hanging on her sides. Looking into the emerald orbs, she tilted her head to the left, showing her neck.

“Just make it quick. Please. I can’t—I can’t take it anymore.”

The predator approached slowly, testing the water, staring at the knife. The blonde didn’t move a finger, only closing her eyes and breathing out, trying not to shiver as she felt the warm body brush against her arm. She had expected the panther to rip her throat out in one go, its jaw certainly looked powerful enough to do so, but instead, she found herself pulled against the furry chest, the large head leaning on her right shoulder blade, the animal sitting on its butt in front of her. Her arms moved automatically, wrapping themselves around the beast’s shoulders, tightening the embrace. In her state, it took her a minute to remember why this position felt so familiar, and when she had held it last. In the City of Light.

“Lexa?”

The panther pulled back, and sat on her bottom in front of Clarke, with what the blonde could only describe as a smug look on her face. She stared at Clarke for a minute before getting back on her legs and turning around, in a different direction from where the woman had arrived.

_Come_

Apparently, the sun had really done a number on her mind, but Clarke, too far gone to question anything anymore, followed the animal without a word. The blonde stumbled for about 10 minutes behind the predator, before exhaustion won and she dropped on her knees once more.

“I can’t. So tired.”

The panther approached, worry in her green eyes, and nuzzled Clarke’s neck, trying to push her to stand. When it became clear that the woman had no strength left in her, the animal lay on the ground, her back open in an invitation.

_Up_

Clarke practically let herself fall on top of the predator, one arm and leg on each side, her head over the furry neck, and she closed her eyes. The slow pace of the panther’s steps rocked her gently, and she fell asleep in less than a minute.

The next time she woke up, there was water on her face. Spluttering, she lifted her head and took in her surroundings. Instead of the desert that she had been expecting, she was now lying on the grass, on the side of a beautiful river, luxurious vegetation all around. The panther had one of her paws still dipped in the river, having just thrown water at the blonde to wake her up. Without thinking, Clarke lay on her stomach closer to the shore, and drank large swallows of the clear liquid. In her haste, she nearly choked and had to cough a few times.

“I’m fine, I’m OK,” she reassured the animal standing next to her, her face filled with concern. As per reflex, Clarke brought one of her hands to the panther’s head, and began to caress her neck and behind her ears. When she heard a low rumble, she realized the feline was purring, and beamed.

“Thank you for saving my life. Where are we? How did you find this place?”

Those were questions too complicated for the animal to answer, as she stayed silent, happy to remain close to the blonde and purr at the strokes. Clarke had still many questions, but for now, she was grateful to be alive and to have company, no matter its shape.

*****

The following few days saw a routine develop between Clarke and the panther that — she was certain now — was inhabited by Lexa’s spirit. Even though they couldn’t communicate with more than a few words, and Clarke still couldn’t understand how that worked, the animal’s attitude, the color of her eyes, the way she looked at the blonde ... everything reminded her of the former Commander.

Lexa would hunt or catch fish for the both of them, while Clarke buried the unfortunate souls from the nearby village that had perished due to the radiation, fixed a house for them, and cooked food. They had taken to share a large bed, and the woman woke up every morning curled against the purring black panther. When she was still human, with the pressure of her position crushing her, Lexa had never been able to show the depth of her feelings and affection for the blonde. But now, free of expectations, destiny, and Flamekeepers, she seemed more than happy to cuddle with the woman she loved and to hug her several times a day. She even let out her playful side, jumping on Clarke to surprise her, or licking her face when she wasn’t ready for it, before running away when her companion chased her to get revenge.

Fifty-eight days after Praimfaya, Clarke was eating some berries, Lexa resting at her feet, when she was startled by an apparition. A little girl, five or six years old, absolutely filthy, her mane of dark brown hair tangled and full of leaves, big blue eyes staring at the pair of them in confusion and fear. Before the adults could react, the girl had run away, her makeshift spear firmly in her hand. The blonde took off after her, shouting and asking her to stop, but to no avail. The kid kept moving, jumping over the roots and through the bushes, much faster than Clarke would have anticipated.

Suddenly, the little brunette turned around, chin held in defiance. The blonde approached her slowly, hands high in a show of peace, but before she could get any closer, the panther jumped in front of her, blocking her with her body.

“Lexa, what the hell?” Clarke exclaimed, looking at the child who was disappearing between the trees.

The animal pushed the woman back with her nose before grabbing a large stick between her teeth, and poking the ground with it. A couple of feet away from where Clarke had stopped, giant metallic jaws closed with a loud snap, breaking the stick into two. A bear trap. The blonde shuddered at the thought of what would have happened to her leg if Lexa hadn’t stepped in front of her.

“Last two people left on Earth and one of them happens to be the child from Hell,” she mumbled, making Lexa chuckle. The panther was about to track the child down when Clarke blocked her path with her hand.

“Wait, let’s wait for her to come to us. It could be dangerous; I don’t want her to hurt you thinking you would make a nice dinner.”

The feline scoffed, visibly offended Clarke thought she could be bested by a 6-year-old, but she agreed nonetheless. The two of them returned to the village and pretended to carry on with their routine in case the girl was spying on them.

It took another couple of days, but they eventually spotted her near the river, fishing. Lexa had to admit, the little girl was good. Whoever had taught her had done a proper job, which also explained how a child so young had managed to survive on her own for two months. She wondered how many Nightbloods had grown up like this, hidden by their parents, living in fear the Flamekeeper’s scouts. If only she had had more time, she would have tried to change the Conclave, make it so that Aden and her other proteges didn’t have to kill the children they considered like siblings. She shook her large head to keep the tears at bay, the pain of losing her novitiates still too raw, and she sat on her bottom next to Clarke.

The blonde tried to talk to the little girl, but she got spooked and hid again. Not wanting to give up, Clarke sat next to the river and began to draw on a piece of paper she had found in the village. The panther remained quiet, in awe of her talent. She could sense the child watching them from behind the trees, and decided to follow Clarke’s lead and pretend not to notice. After about 20 minutes, the woman stood up, and left the drawing depicting the girl, her spear and her unruly mane on the shore. The panther in tow, she returned to the village, not seeing the girl who crept her way down the shore and looked at the paper with a smile on her face, the first one since Praimfaya killed her whole family.

The next morning, while Clarke was keeping busy drawing and washing some clothes, Lexa caught some extra fish and carried them in her mouth to where the child was staying. She had followed her tracks the day before, mindful of possible traps and attacks, and had found the crude tree house where she was staying, hidden under the foliage. Taking a run-up, the panther jumped on a lower branch, before using her sharp claws to hold on to the bark and climb the oak.

Once she was high enough, she put her head into the opening, her eyes growing tender at the sight that welcomed her. The girl was curled on her side in a fetal position, a rough blanket covering her slim body. Lexa dropped the fish on the floor and inched herself closer when she realized the child, caught in a nightmare, was whimpering in her sleep. Before she could question herself or the safety of such an action, the animal lay on the wooden floor, her fury body leaning against the brunette’s back, her hinder legs folded under her, and her forelegs slightly spread under her chin and above the kid’s head. After a minute, the young Nightblood rolled around and buried her face in the thick fur, small hands holding on tightly. Lexa began purring lightly, not wanting to wake up the girl, but hoping to ease her sleep.

About an hour later, the child stirred, her sleepy eyes blinked a few times, confusion growing on her face as she found herself flushed against the warm body of the black predator. With a gasp, she scrambled to back away from Lexa, an arm tapping behind her looking for her spear. With a sigh, the panther got back on her legs, careful not to frighten the young brunette more. She returned to the opening, before pushing the fish towards the child with her nose. The 6-year-old cocked her head in surprise, before releasing what she thought was a threatening snarl. With an eye roll, Lexa exited the treehouse and jumped down, her paws absorbing most of the impact. She had to hurry back to the village before Clarke noticed her absence, or she would scold her for seeking the girl alone.

*****

The sun was already high in the sky when the 7-year-old brunette awoke, snuggled between her mom and the furry body of her nomon. She was a big girl now, and the nightmares that had once plagued her had mostly disappeared, but on occasion, she still enjoyed sneaking between her mothers in the middle of the night and let their reassuring caresses and snores lull her back to sleep. Not that Clarke would ever admit that she made such noise, despite the combined affirmations of Madi and Lexa. Something about princesses not snoring, Madi wasn’t sure what that meant.

It had taken some time for the child to trust the two intruders that had shown up in her valley. After seeing her whole family die unexpectedly, their faces covered with burns, the little brunette had been forced to survive on her own for 58 long days, eating mostly roots and mushrooms, and the occasional fish she managed to catch. So, when one morning, she spotted a blonde collecting berries, the biggest panther she had ever seen lying at her foot like a docile pet, the girl was rightfully terrified and ran away. She could still hear her mother’s warnings that if _Flamekipa_ scouts were to find her, they would take her far away from her family and beloved valley, and she hid. She even tried to lead the woman into a trap in hopes to eliminate the threat, but the predator was too smart and observant to let that happen.

But then, things slowly changed. The two intruders remained at a distance, mostly, all while keeping an eye on her and leaving her small presents. There was the drawing she found by the river — and that now took center stage on her bedroom wall — the fish and small animals the black panther regularly left at the entrance of her treehouse, the warm clothes by her bed one morning... After several weeks of spying and hesitations, Madi kom Louwoda Kliron Kru bravely walked into what had been her village, spear at her side, and formally met Clarke Griffin kom Skaikru and Leksa kom Trikru, the former Heda.

She was confused by the predator at first, not understanding how a human spirit could be trapped in the body of an animal, but after spending some time with Lexa and witnessing how she and Clarke communicated almost seamlessly, she had to accept that the blonde wasn’t simply as crazy as she had thought. The gentle way the panther treated her, letting her ride on her back, lying by her side when she had nightmares, helping her hunt in the forest definitely cemented the bond between them. The blonde was happy to let “her two brunettes” spend time alone, though she insisted on teaching Madi _Gonaslang_ as well as other subjects. It had taken her a few more months, but eventually, the girl had begun to call them “mothers”, to their surprise and clear delight.

That particular morning, Madi could feel the pressure in her full bladder, and started to wiggle her way out of the bed, when a large paw circled her waist, trapping her.

“Nomon! Nomon!” she giggled, “I need to pee.”

Lexa, pretending to still be asleep, let out a purr, and tightened her embrace. In any other circumstances, the girl loved the bear hugs — or more accurately panther hugs — the former Commander spoiled her and Clarke with. She had seen more than once the feline hide behind a house or in a bush and tackle the blonde to the ground before licking the round face, eliciting laughter and protestations from the woman. But in that particular instance, the situation was getting direr by the second.

“Mom! Mom!” the tiny brunette groaned, shaking the blonde’s shoulder, “Please tell Nomon to let me go. I have to pee!”

Clarke emitted an indiscernible sound and rolled herself over so one of her legs and arms were placed on the animal, engulfing the girl into a cocoon of love. She only relented when Madi threatened to wet the furs and let their daughter step over her to exit the bed, complaining when an elbow dug into her ribs.

“Morning, my love,” Clarke whispered, staring at the viridian eyes of the love of her life.

_Morning niron_

Neither of them knew with certitude why, but ever since that day in the desert, Lexa could communicate telepathically with the blonde. It had taken some practice and getting used to, but where she had only been able to say a word at a time, she could now express full sentences; making their lives so much easier. Clarke suspected that the Flame had left some residue in her brain when it had been removed, allowing a sort of backdoor into the AI. Nobody would have known it was possible before because all the former Commanders had been dead when it had been extracted from their necks. But without an MRI scanner to confirm her theory, all she could do was thank the Spirits for that gift.

If Clarke’s calculations were correct, this day marked the anniversary of their meeting with Madi, and she wanted to celebrate. Lexa had, of course, agreed with her, and tried to come up with a gift for their daughter. If she still had hands, she would have whittled her an animal, probably a horse, like her own father had done for her before she was taken away to Polis, but she had been forced to find something else.

Being trapped in an animal’s body had been difficult to accept at first, but once she had stumbled upon Clarke, and then Madi, there hadn’t been a moment when she hadn’t felt grateful for the second chance bestowed on her. Which was why, instead of wallowing on what couldn’t be, she embraced each new day with a smile, and made a point to let the two most important women in her life how much she loved them. She taught Clarke how to swim and move stealthily in the forest, and showed Madi how to hunt and climb trees more efficiently. But her absolute favorite pastime was carrying them on her back and leisurely explore their domain. She knew that one day, their people would return, and with them the weight of responsibility and leadership. But for now, they were happy and carefree, at last.

When Madi came back into the room, a large grin on her face, Clarke, who had hidden behind the door, grabbed the giggling girl and dropped her on the bed, returning her into their embrace. Later, they would eat all the girl’s favorite food, Clarke would give her the drawing of the three of them she had worked on, and Lexa would give her the fur of the small bear she had hunted — and that Clarke had cut and cleaned — so the child would have a new blanket. Later. At that moment, all the young girl wanted was to cuddle with her mothers.

*****

One warm evening of summer, Clarke was sitting cross-legged, her eyes closed, focused on her breathing. Madi, now 10 years old, was already sleeping in her room, giving her mothers the privacy they craved for. Counting backward from 100, she let her mind go blank, the Flame pulling her in. When she opened her eyes, in her mind, she was faced with a very human-looking Lexa, cladded in a loose black dress, her hair draped over one shoulder, her face free of her iconic war paint and looking a little older and more mature than during their time in Polis.

“Clarke,” the brunette beamed, moving closer to hug her beloved.

It had taken the blonde a long time to learn how to access the Flame through her mind, meditation not coming naturally to the always impatient woman. But with practice, and Lexa’s help, she had managed to reach the Mindspace where the brunette’s spirit resided. Lexa had explained to her that the Commanders had fought among themselves once they realized that they were trapped in a panther’s body. When one of them was killed, they noticed that they could control the animal more easily, and a new sort of Conclave began. Malachi kom Sangedakru, also known as Sheidheda, the Dark Commander, killed the spirits of all the remaining former Commanders, until only he and Lexa were left. It had been the most difficult fight of the brunette’s life, but eventually she had overpowered him and slit his throat, gaining full control of the Flame, the Mindspace in it, and the body it was stuck in.

Though Clarke couldn’t remain there for more than an hour or two at a time, it was their hidden paradise, the one place Lexa could totally reshape, and she turned out to have quite the imagination. The former Commander would take her to breathtaking waterfalls, show her the beauty of the Trikru territory Clarke hadn’t had the chance to see, recreating with her mind all the scenery she had loved before Praimfaya. And most importantly, it was the one way they had to be truly intimate, and they indulged themselves as often as they could while living with a child.

The blonde, dressed in her former blue jacket and tight black pants, caressed the older woman’s cheek with her hand, before bringing their lips together in a long, passionate kiss.

“I missed you,” she breathed out, separating their mouths for an instant, before nibbling her lover’s lower lip.

Smiling at the sweet confession, Lexa conjured a bed of furs and pushed them both onto it, Clarke landing underneath her with a huff.

“I missed you too, _Niron_.”

And to prove how true her statement was, the brunette sneaked one of her hands under the dark blue shirt, finding the mounds she was so fond of. To her delight, the blonde had chosen to forego wearing bindings in her mind, and her palm immediately came in contact with the soft skin of her breast. With a smirk, she moved her hand around, grazing an already hardened nipple, and started to roll it between her fingers.

“Lexa,” the blonde begged, squirming under the ministrations.

Normally, the former Commander wouldn’t mind more teasing and pleading, but they hadn’t been able to be intimate much recently, busy as they were preparing for their people’s return, and she needed to see Clarke come soon, or she would explode. Lifting the shirt with her teeth until it was wrapped under Clarke’s armpits, she eagerly took a nub in her mouth, licking and suckling it, before moving to its twin. She stopped only when she felt her lover grind against her tight, seeking a quick release she wasn’t ready to give yet.

“Now you’re just being mean,” the blonde pouted, her frustration increasing.

“What do you want?” Lexa asked, mirth in her eyes.

“Make me come, or I’ll wake up and do it myself,” Clarke playfully threatened, knowing that there was no way the brunette wouldn’t want to be the one to satisfy her.

As expected, the answer spurred the woman into action; long fingers opening her pants button and making their way into her underwear in a matter of seconds. Lexa bit her lips at the feeling of warmth and slick that welcomed her, and began exploring the folds. The angle was awkward, not giving her enough space to move, so after a moment she withdrew her hand, earning a displeased huff, and lowered her lover’s pants and underwear.

“Yours too,” Clarke moaned, loving the skin to skin feeling they couldn’t have in real life.

Understanding the request, Lexa wiggled out of her dress, pulling it over her head with Clarke’s help, and returned her mouth and fingers to where they had been. Now that she could move freely, she lowered her hand, and inserted two fingers in the wet opening, making the blonde groan in pleasure. She set a slow pace at first, enjoying the walls that fluttered around her and the way Clarke writhed to get more pressure. She let out a surprised moan when the blonde sneaked a hand between their bodies and stroke her clit, already swollen and out.

“I wanna touch you too,” she whispered, staring at the green orbs flecked with gold.

Not trusting her voice at that moment, Lexa nodded and resituated herself so they could both use their dominant hands to enter each other simultaneously. After that, it quickly became to a race to make the other climax first. Lexa had a tiny advantage, having started sooner, but Clarke was determined, and she didn’t hesitate to add a third finger, stretching the brunette whose head fell on a pale shoulder, out of breath. Only moments later, Lexa was precipitated over the edge, her body going rigid for a few seconds before she turned into a puddle in the blonde’s arms.

Carefully removing her fingers, she kissed Clarke for a few minutes, letting her heartbeat slow down, before she lowered herself on the body she knew every square inch of by now, to finish her with her tongue.

The two women were lying on the bed after their second round, Clarke’s head resting in the crook of the brunette’s neck, Lexa playing with their fingers.

“I have to go soon,” the blonde sighed. Leaving the Mindspace to return to reality was always a little bittersweet, though she adored Madi and the life the three of them had made for themselves.

“I know, _Niron_ ,” Lexa replied gently, before catching the round chin with her hand and looking into the blue eyes she dreamed of every night. “I love you. Always. In this body, and in the other.”

“I know,” Clarke parroted with a smile. “You better not snore tonight, I’m exhausted.”

Rolling her eyes at the hypocritical comment, they all knew that Clarke was the one prone to snoring, Lexa kissed her forehead, and let her lover disappear. Closing her eyes, she returned her mind into the panther’s body, waiting for the blonde to come to bed and snuggle against her.

*****

It was a very ordinary day, like any of the nearly 1,900 they had spent since Praimfaya, when their world was turned upside down once more. Clarke was in the village, working on the houses she had renovated before her friends’ arrival, while Madi was hunting with Lexa. The 12-year-old sat proudly on her nomon’s back, listening to the birds’ songs when a loud bang caught her attention. Looking at the sky, she spotted a strange ship, all made of metal, flying towards the ground. She hadn’t seen it the first time around, but after spending so many hours studying her mother’s drawings, she would have recognized it anywhere. It was the rocket that had taken Clarke’s friends to what remained of the Ark. They were finally back.

Her nomon seemed to have reached the same conclusion, because she sped up, bringing them closer to where the vessel would land. Once they were close enough, however, they hid behind trees, waiting for the ship’s occupants to reveal themselves. They didn’t have to wait for long before a panel opened on one side of the rocket, and several figures emerged from it, cladded in strange orange clothes. Once they all removed their helmets, Madi could make out their faces, and she recognized them all from her mom’s notebook.

Reassured that the newcomers weren’t a threat, Lexa nodded at her daughter and stepped out of the shadows. The look on the seven men and women’s face when they noticed them made Madi chuckle, but then she could imagine how surprised they were to see a child perched on a black panther bigger than a pony. Especially when they expected what was left of the human race to be at what had once been Polis.

“Hello Sky people,” the preteen greeted them. “I’m Madi, and this is my nomon. Welcome to Shallow Valley.”

The former Ark residents looked at each other in confusion, whispering, “Nomon?” and other things Madi couldn’t hear. Lexa seemed perfectly happy to let them settle down and recover all their faculties, but the girl had waited five years to meet her mother’s friends, she didn’t want to be patient anymore.

“Please, follow me. Mom has been expecting you.”

“Mom?” the slim woman with a ponytail, Raven, asked. “Who’s your mom? I thought Bagheera here was your mom?”

Lexa huffed and rolled her eyes at the nickname. Clearly, five years in space had done nothing to calm the excitable woman or teach her respect.

“I’m not sure what a Bagheera is,” Madi replied, sensing the panther’s annoyance, “but this is Nomon. Mom was at the village when we first spotted you. She’s probably on her way, though.”

As if on cue, the blonde’s voice made itself heard through the woods, “Madi? Lex?”

“Lex?” Raven and Echo repeated, looking at the predator with bulged eyes, before being distracted when they noticed the woman they had thought was dead run towards them.

“Clarke?!!”

The following 10 minutes saw a joyful reunion between the former Skaikru people. Clarke hugged all her friends for a while, making Lexa growl lightly when Bellamy took too long to release her lover. She even embraced Emori and Echo, to their surprise.

On their way to the village, she did her best to explain how she had survived Praimfaya by hiding in Becca’s lab, how she had wandered alone for days before being rescued by Lexa, and how they had found Madi and built a life in their own personal Eden.

“So,” Raven eventually asked once they had settled down in the village, “you mean this is really Lexa? The former Commander?”

“Yes. I know it sounds crazy, but it is. She swallowed the Flame months before all of this, and her spirit took over the animal’s body.”

The mechanics didn’t seem particularly convinced by the explanation; despite everything they had witnessed since their first landing on Earth. Hoping it would be enough to convince Raven, and the others, Lexa approached her slowly and nudged her arm up until she could access the scar Indra had left there, so long ago, when she had thought the Sky people were nothing more than a threat, and licked it.

“She says she’s sorry for ordering her men to hurt you,” Clarke translated with a tender smile, knowing how difficult it had been for her lover to learn to apologize, before moving closer to scratch her behind the ears and laughing when Lexa bunted her chin.

After that, the seven newcomers stayed at a respectful distance from the predator, but none of them doubted her identity anymore. Within a few days, seeing how happy the family of three was, and how gentle Lexa was with Madi, they lowered their guards and became more comfortable in her presence.

The group spent another couple of weeks in Shallow Valley, adapting to their new world and discussing how they would free the bunker’s inhabitants from the rubble of Polis Tower. Using bombs was out of the question, lest the whole structure collapsed and sealed the door forever, so they had to find a way to build levers and a makeshift crane.

Three weeks after the rocket landing, the eight adults, the child, and the panther returned to Polis, for the first time in years. As the ship didn’t have an ounce of fuel anymore, and the rover had been unusable for years, they had no other choice but to walk the long way to the bunker, avoiding the desert and its sandstorms and terrifying worms, which took them several days. Lexa carried Clarke and Madi a good portion of the journey and, in an effort to improve her relationship with the blonde’s friend, even offered to transport Raven, whose leg was slowing her down after three days of trekking. In truth, she had readied herself for a refusal, but the dark-haired Latina was too tired to be afraid, and wouldn’t have missed such an opportunity. Clarke happily let her take her place, upon the condition that her friend would never again mention, “riding the Commander.”

Clearing the rubble that blocked the entrance of the bunker took longer than any of them would have liked, but between Raven’s creations and everybody else’s elbow grease, the metallic door finally revealed itself, and Clarke knocked on it, hope and fear battling in her eyes. How was everyone doing after so long? Was her mother OK? Did they have enough food to last nearly six years?

As it turned out, things hadn’t gone so well for the people living in the bunker. They had realized early on that the door was blocked and that they were trapped inside. After several fights and an attempt by Skaikru to take over, Octavia had become a feared and merciless leader, recreating the gladiator fights Bellamy had described to her when they were children.

When her followers heard from Bellamy that Lexa kom Trikru was still alive, in a matter of speech, and that another Nightblood existed, they threatened to kill them both, which nearly caused a civil war. Indra looked torn between her loyalty towards her former _seken_ and the one she owed her Heda and the Flame, as were Gaia and several other Trikru members.

To everyone’s surprise, Octavia stepped forward and placed herself between Wonkru and the Griffins. The young brunette had seen so much horror during her time as a leader, felt so much shame imagining what her brother would think if he could see Bloodreina, she was more than tired of playing that role.

“Bell said you live in a true paradise, Clarke?”

“We found an area that survived the fire, with a forest, a river, game, everything we all need to live. With Monty’s algae and Raven’s tech, we could rebuild civilization from there. We even started to prepare houses for you guys. But if you’re going to threaten us, we’ll just leave you here to enjoy your bunker, and return home,” the blonde confirmed, standing between the angry crowd and her daughter, Lexa growling on her left, the Ark’s survivors, her mother and Marcus on her right.

“Bloodreina, what are your orders?” a woman with long black hair inquired. “Should we shoot the panther?”

Before Clarke could jump at the woman’s throat, Octavia raised her fist, calling for her followers’ attention.

“What are your conditions?”

“All of you’re welcome to join us in Eden. There is space for everyone. But your weapons stay here. We don’t need them anymore. We’re what’s left of the human race, we can have peace.”

The younger woman remained quiet for a moment, thinking and observing the blonde, the panther, their child. They seemed happy, and well-fed; more relaxed than she had ever seen Clarke be since the 100 had landed. She only reacted when her brother addressed her, “O, please. We can finally be happy, all of us. It’s over.”

In a move that even she hadn’t expected, Bloodreina, the girl under the floor turned Trikru turned winner of the Conclave, kneeled in front of the black panther, ignoring the gasps behind her. After a tense moment, all of Octavia’s followers mimicked her action, recognizing their former Heda as their official leader. The animal stood proudly before what was left of the coalition she had bled to create, Clarke smiling at her, before she approached the kneeling brunette, and gently nudged her up with her head.

“Wonkru, my people,” Clarke translated, “let’s go home.”

The cheers that echoed lasted several minutes, and the survivors of the bunker hugged each other tightly. They had been through hell and back together, and their scars were running deep, but with time and the long-lasting peace ahead of them, they would heal.

*****

During the year of her 25th summer, Madi Griffin kom Louwoda Kliron Kru en Trikru officially became the leader of Wonkru, following in her mothers’ footsteps. Lexa and Clarke, happier than ever, had led their people fairly and wisely, making sure that everyone settled well in Eden and slowly rebuilt a city there. After ruling for 13 years, the couple agreed that it was time for their daughter to take her rightful place, and for them to be finally free of responsibilities.

Due to the drastic drop of the population, no Nightblood had been born since Praimfaya, and Wonkru had to find a new way to designate its leaders. No more children would be forced to kill each other for the honor to lead. Instead, upon Lexa’s suggestion, the leader would choose a second-in-command and train them to rule, not unlike the _fos-seken_ system. The former Commander had confessed to her lover that she had hoped to implement that change when she was still in Polis, but had taken too long because of Titus’s disapproval, and that the consequential death of her novitiates weighed heavily on her conscience to this day.

One of Madi’s first decisions as the new leader was to take Bellamy and Echo’s son, Octavius, as her _seken_. The 12-year-old boy, with curly black hair and freckles like his father and his mother’s temperament, bowed deeply before taking his place at her right side, trying not to blush when his parents and their friends cheered loudly.

Though they always kept an eye on their daughter and came to her help whenever she requested it, Clarke and Lexa happily spent the rest of their lives in a small house by the river, drawing, hunting, making love in the Mindspace, and laughing with their friends. When, several decades later, they passed away, only a few hours apart, Madi and her children buried them on top of a hill, so that their spirits could forever protect Shallow Valley and its inhabitants. And when their descendants eventually left to reclaim the Earth, the legend of Heda, the last Commander that had come back from the dead, and Wanheda, her lover that had fallen from the stars, who together guided their people into a golden age followed them, as did their legacy. Peace.


End file.
